The University of Central Arkansas and the City of Conway have joined the 470 communities across America that have signed an Armed Services Community Covenant expressing their commitment in support of the military.
The University of Central Arkansas, Conway Area Chamber of Commerce and the City of Conway vowed to build a partnership among various groups in support of service members and their families.
The community covenant was presented during UCA’s annual Veterans Day Celebration at Estes Stadium on Nov. 11. Copies of the covenant will be on display in the Conway City Hall, the Conway Chamber of Commerce and other public buildings.The Community Covenant began more than year ago as an initiative of the Secretary of the U.S. Army to support the troops fighting overseas. Retired Maj. Gen Craig Whelden, who heads the community covenant program, said troop levels fighting overseas are about 10 percent compared with troop levels during World War II.
” (The Secretary of the Army) wanted to remind Americans that we are a country at war and there is a very small segment that is stepping up and going overseas to places like Iraq and Afghanistan so the rest of us can be safe back home,” Whelden said.
The covenant is a symbolic demonstration of America’s support for today’s service members and their families, he added.
Before the presentation of the covenant, Faulkner County veterans were treated to a community tailgate, which included food, games and live music by “Bitter Harvest”, a band made up of active duty Marines.
UCA President Allen Meadors thanked veterans for their service. Meadors, who served in U.S. Air Force in the Medical Service Corps from 1969 to 1973, said he saw the sacrifices the service men, women and their families made during the Vietnam War. He also acknowledged the sacrifices of active duty service men and women.
“We can never honor those folks enough,” Meadors said.
Billy Conner, a Vietnam veteran, commended the university for supporting the veterans.
“I am glad that UCA is behind this,” Conner said. “… We need to look at what we can do to offer support for those who are being deployed three, four, five even six times. Whether you support the war or not, that is immaterial. You got to support people who are fighting.”
